Improvement in warp-shedding mechanisms for looms



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH HOLDING AND JAMES ECOLES, OF MANCHESTER, GREAT BRITAIN.

IMPROVEMENT IN WARP-SHEDING MECHANISMS FOR LOOMS.

Speciication forming part of Letters Patent No. 119,848, dated October10, 1871; antedated October 3, 1871.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, JOSEPH HOLDING and JAMES ECOLES, of Manchester, inthe county of Lancaster, Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, haveinvented certain Improvements in Looms for Weaving, for which LettersPatent of the Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland were granted to usJuly twenty-sixth, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, of whichthe following is a specification:

The invention relates to mechanism for the purpose of producing a shedfor the passage of the shuttle in looms for weaving that will dispensewith the perishable and expensive healds usually employed for the samepurpose; and the improvements consist in moiulting upon a longitudinalbar a number of wires bent to the form of an inverted cone, eachalternate space between the wires being connected diagonally in such amanner that the openings or spaces between the wires will presentalternate diagonal lines. These wires are supported upon a barilnmediately below the warp-threads behind the reeds. This bar, throughthe medium of the ordinarytappets or other equivalent, receives anoscillatory or rocking motion, combined with a vertical lift that causesthe wires to act upon the warpthreads which pass through the spacebetween the wires in such a manner that each alternate thread of yarn israised and the remaining ones lowered with every oscillation of the bar,the effeet of which forms a perfect and uniform shed without theemployment of healds. The point or fractional surfaces forming theconnections between the wires are provided with a covering of thread orother material that can readily be renewed when desired. Thisarrangementof apparatus may also be employed with great advantage forforming a shed at the time of taking a leese in slashers, tape-legs, orother machines employed for finishing yarns preparatory to weaving.

In order that the invention may be better understood and explained indetail, we have hereunto attached a drawing, similar letters ofreference being marked upon corresponding parts on all the figuresalike.

Figure l represents a` longitudinal elevational section of a loom havingour improved shedding motion applied thereto. Fig. 2 represents adetached back view of the same.

In these iigures, a represents the frame, b, the breast-beam; c, theslay; d, the warp-beam; and e, the cloth roller 5 all being old andwell-known points of a loom. f is alongitudinal bar, to which is secureda number of wires, o, partaking of the form of an inverted cone ortriangle, the construction of which is accomplished by continuouslyfolding the wire in ar spiral direction around the longitudinal bar fand a mandrel or block, the section of which partakes of the form thewires are required to assume. The wires, when thus folded are secured attheir base to the longitudinal bar j', and the mandrel is thenwithdrawn, after which the wires 0n either side are alternately coupledtogether by beingI twisted or made otherwise to overlapr from their baseup to the point a., forming their angle of contact, thereby causing thespaces between the wires to be formed in zigzag (thus,WW) into each oneof these spaces. The warp-threads are placed and are acted upon forshedding by the wires 0 i the manner hereinbefore described, The ends 0`the longitudinal barf are secured to angle-plates g g, which areprovided with studs that enter the slots h h formed in the brackets z't', secured to the loom-frame c. A shaft, 7o, supported in bearingssecured to the loom-frame and running immediately underneath andparallel with the longitudinal bar j' is supplied with disks, wheels, orother equivalent Z l, which are secured to such shaft at points formingthe extremity or termination of the sheddingwires O. On the sides ofthis wheel or disk at points formed by its horizontal axis, projectionsare constructed that form the fulcrums of two bent levers m m, thatterminate in jaws or carriers n, the position and formation of whichallow them to iit, when carried forward, onto the end or ends of thelongitudinal bar f immediately behind their angle-plate or plates g g.The shaft k, upon which the disk or wheel l is secured, receives anoscillatory or rocking motion, which is imparted thereto through themedium of the pinion p and the lever-quadrant g, which receives motionfrom a second motion-shaft, r, which is connected therewith by the rodr. Thus, as the shaft 7c rocks it alternately brings the lever-jaws 11,a into contact with the longitudinal bar j', supporting theshedding-wires o and forces the same irst in one direction and then inthe other, the amount of oscillation or throw being regulated by theposition of the disk or wheel K from a horizontal to a sla-nting axis,the object of the slanting axis bein g to give a greater amount of throwor oscillation to the angle forming the junction of the shedding Wireson the sides furthest from the reed, and a proportionately smaller oneat the angle or junction nearest the reed, producing thereby a uniformshed.

1. The combination, with the Warp-beam and breast-beam of a loom, of ashaft, f, to which are connected Wires or guides o, bent to the formsubstantially as described and alternately coupled to form a zigzagspace, as set forth.

